The effect of symptom duration in epithelial ovarian cancer on prognostic factors.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the association between duration of symptoms and main prognostic factors of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).


METHODS
The data of all histologically confirmed EOC patients diagnosed in Israel during the period 1994-1999 (n = 1,005) were retrieved from discharge summaries and admission records. Of the 371 (36.9%) patients with known presenting symptoms, the durations of 187 (50.4%) were recorded.


RESULTS
The most common presenting symptoms were abdominal pain (65.2%). The percentage of patients with three or more symptoms increased significantly with stage (P = 0.001). No statistically significant association between duration of symptoms and prognostic factors was found.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings did not show an association between duration of symptoms and prognostic factors in EOC patients and may indicate that prognosis is not a function of delay in diagnosis.
Menczer
Joseph
J
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, E. Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel. joseph12@internet-zahav.net
Chetrit
Angela
A
Sadetzki
Siegal
S
D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D019398:Genes, BRCA1; D024522:Genes, BRCA2; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors